Abstract
The consumption and digestion of two Ghanaian eggplant cultivars (Asesewa and Odwanhwoa) and two exotic cultivars (Black Beauty and Florida Market) by larval Selepa docilis were studied in the laboratory. Daily food consumption was highest on Asesewa and lowest on Florida Market. Total food consumption was significantly highest on Asesewa, followed by Odwanhwoa, Black Beauty and Florida Market. The dry weight of food consumed per unit of larval fresh weight per day was highest on Asesewa, followed by Odwanhwoa, Florida Market and Black Beauty. In general, food consumption was higher on the Ghanaian than on the exotic cultivars. The efficiency of food digestion was significantly higher on the Ghanaian than on the exotic cultivars. Growth of S. docilis larvae, recorded by the daily larval fresh weights, was highest on Asesewa, followed by Odwanhwoa, Black Beauty and Florida Market. The conclusion is made that S. docilis is best adapted to Asesewa, then Odwanhwoa, Black Beauty and Florida Market. Furthermore, S. docilis is better adapted to the Ghanaian than to the exotic cultivars.
Résumé
La consommation et la digestion de deux cultivars aubergines indigènes ghanéenes (Asesewa et Odwanhwoa) aussi que des deux cultivars exotiques [Black Beauty et Florida Market) par les larvae de Selepa docilis ont été étudiées au laboratoire.
La consommation quotidienne était la plus élevée pour Asesewa et la plus basse pour Florida Market. La consommation totale de l’aliment était la plus élevée significativement pour Asesewa suivis par Odwanhwoa, Black Beauty et Florida Market.
Le poid sec d’aliment consomée par unité de frais poid larval par jour était aussi la plus élevée pour Asesewa suivis par Odwanhwoa, Florida Market et Black Beauty. En ce qui concerne les cultivars on peut dire d’une manière general que la consommation d’aliment était plus élevée pour l’indigène que la plante exotique. L’efficacité de la digestion d’aliment était plus élevée significativement pour l’indigène que la plante exotique.
Le développement de la larve de S. docilis enregistré quotidiennement sur le poid frais larval était le plus élevée pour Asesewa suivis par Odwanhwoa, Black Beauty et Florida Market.
On tire la conclusion que S. docilis est mieux adapté à Asesewa, puis Odwanhwoa, Black Beauty et Florida Market. A propos de cultivars S. docilis est en outre mieux adapté à l’indigène que la plante exotique.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Carne P. B. (1966) Growth and food consumption during the larval stages of Paropsis atomaria (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). Entomologia exp. app. 9, 105–112.
Davey P. M. (1954) Quantities of food eaten by the desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria (Forsk.), in relation to growth. Bull. ent. Res. 45, 539–555.
Duodu Y. A. and Davis D. W. (1974) A comparison of growth, food consumption and food utilization between unparasitized alfalfa weevil larvae and those parasitized by Bathyplectes curculionis (Thomson). Environ. Ent. 3, 705–710.
Duodu Y. A. and Biney F. F. (1981) Growth, food consumption and food utilization of Spodoptera littoralis (Boisduval) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on four foodplants. Bull. ent. Res. 71, 655–662.
Duodu Y. A. and Antoh F. F. (1984) Effects of parasitism by Apanteles sagax (Hym: Braconidae) on growth, food consumption and food utilization in Sylepta derogata larvae (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). Entomophaga 29, 63–71
Edwards C. A. (1964) The bionomics of swift moths. I—The ghost swift moth, Hepialus humili (L.). Bull. ent. Res. 55, 147–160.
Forsyth J. (1966) Agricultural Insects of Ghana. Ghana University Press, Accra.
Frempong E. (1973) Studies on the insect pests of eggplant Solanum melongena L. with particular reference to the biology of Selepa docilis Butler (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). MSc. thesis, University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
Hopkins F. G. (1912) Feeding experiments illustrating the importance of accessory factors in normal dietaries. J. Physiol, Lond. 44, 425–460.
McCaffery A. R., Cook A. G., Page W. W. and Perfect T. J. (1978) Utilisation of food by Zonocerus variegatus(L.) (Orthoptera: Pyrgomorphidae). Bull. ent. Res. 68, 589–606.
Owusu-Akyaw M. (1977) Susceptibility of some cultivars of the eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) to attack by Leucinodes orbonalis (Guenee) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). B.Sc. dissertation, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
Singh D. P. and Pandey N. D. (1967) Some observations on the biology of Selepa docilis B. (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera). Labdev. J. Sei. Tech. 5, 129–131.
Smith D. S. (1959) Utilization of food plants by the migratory grasshopper, Melanoplus bilituratus (Walker) (Orthoptera: Acrididae) with some observations on the nutritional value of plants. Am. ent. Soc. Am. 52, 674–680.
Soo Hoo C. F. and Fraenkel G. (1966) The consumption, digestion and utilization of food plants by a polyphagous insect, Prodenia eridania (Cramer). J. Insect Physiol. 12, 711–730.
Waldbauer G. P. (1964) The consumption, digestion and utilization of solanaceous and non-solaceous plants by larvae of the tobacco hormworm, Protoparce sexta (Johan.) (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae). Entomologia exp. appl. 7, 253–269.
Waldbauer G. P. (1968) The consumption and utilization of food by insects. Adv. Insect Physiol. 5, 229–288.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Duodu, Y.A., Addo-Ashong, R.C. Consumption and Digestion of Four Cultivars of Solanum melongena by Selepa docilis Larvae (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Int J Trop Insect Sci 6, 657–660 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1017/S174275840000285X
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S174275840000285X